Extradition of drug accused from Dubai blocked by sharia law
EXTRADITING the alleged Sydney kingpin of an international drug-smuggling operation has hit a hurdle in Dubai because of sharia law.
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EXTRADITING the alleged Sydney kingpin of an international drug-smuggling operation has hit a hurdle in Dubai because of sharia law.
Comanchero bikie Hakan Arif, dubbed “Little Hux” and “Mr Billionaire”, remains in a Dubai jail cell with co-accused Stephen Fawaz Elmir almost three months after they were arrested as part of a sting alongside two Ibrahim brothers, Michael and Fadi.
The Ibrahims and two other men arrested on August 8 in a global investigation into organised crime have been extradited to Sydney, but Australian Federal Police have run into hurdles trying to bring back Arif and Elmir, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.
Underworld figure Arif, 40, alleged in Dubai court documents to be the boss of the billion-dollar drug ring, has taken residency in the United Arab Emirates.
Elmir, who flew business class to Dubai in April after his brother-in-law Safwan Charbaji was killed during a shootout, is a temporary resident of the UAE.
As residents, men can borrow money but under sharia law, observed across the Middle East, non-payment of debts is a criminal offence and both men allegedly have substantial debts.
If they do not pay up, they are banned from leaving, a source said yesterday.
Even civil debts, missing a credit card payment or bouncing a cheque can lead to a travel ban.
Both Arif and Elmir are fighting their extradition and it was not until last week that the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions began proceedings in the Dubai courts.
Legal sources yesterday said that one alternative available to police would be if the men were arrested as part of an Interpol request, because the UAE could rule that request would supersede its laws.
Both Sydney men are accused of being involved in a plan to smuggle 1.8 tonnes of MDMA, 136kg of cocaine and 15kg of crystal methamphetamines into Australia.
The drugs, with a street value of almost $1 billion, were seized by authorities in the Netherlands before the August 8 arrests in Dubai.
The Ibrahim brothers have indicated they will defend their charges.